Copycat Chipotle Bowls
Ingredients
For the Pork Carnitas
- 4 lbs pork butt (or shoulder)
- 1 large yellow onion (diced)
- 4 cloves garlic (chopped)
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 2 tsp salt
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp badia seasoning
- 1 tsp meat tenderizer
- 1 tsp adobo sauce
- 1 tsp season salt
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/3 cup water
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 bay leaf
For the Chicken:
- 6 boneless chicken thighs or 4 boneless chicken breasts
- 1/4 red onion chopped
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp season salt
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp adobo sauce
For the Rice:
- 1-2 cups basmati rice
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tbsp lemon juice (freshly squeezed from lemon)
- 1 tbsp lime juice (freshly squeezed from lime)
- 1 1/2 tbsp cilantro (minced)
- 1/2 tsp salt
For the tomato salsa (mild):
- 1 lb vine ripe tomatoes (cut into small chunks)
- 1/4 cup red onion (finely chopped in food processor)
- 2 tbsp cilantro minced
- 2 jalapeno peppers seeded, minced, and stemmed (chopped fine)
- 1 1/2 tbsp lime juice (freshly squeezed from lime)
- salt to taste
For the medium green chili salsa:
- 2 lbs tomatillos
- 1 roma tomato
- 3 jalapenos (with seeds and membranes)
- 1/4 cup red onion (chopped)
- 4 garlic cloves
- 2/3 cup cilantro (minced)
- 1 1/2 tbsp lime juice (freshly squeezed from lime)
- 1 1/2 tbsp lemon juice (freshly squeezed from lemon)
- 1 1/2 tsp gound cumin
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
For the corn salsa:
- 2 poblano peppers
- 2 cans white corn or 1 frozen package
- 1/2 cup red onion (chopped fine)
- 1/2 cup jalapenos (seeded, minced, and stemmed)
- 2/3 cup cilantro (chopped)
- 1 1/2 tbsp lime zest (from the outside hull of lime)
- lime juice from 2 freshly squeezed limes
- 1 tsp salt or to taste
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp sugar
For the guacamole:
- 2 large avocados (pitted)
- 1 lime juice (from freshly squeezed lime)
- 1/4 cup red onion (finely chopped)
- 2 tbsp cilantro (minced)
- 1/2 jalapeno pepper (seeded, stemmed, and finely chopped)
- 1/4 cup roma tomato (chopped small)
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- salt to taste
For the sauteed vegetables:
- 1 large green pepper
- 1 large red onion
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
Instructions
For the Pork Carnitas:
- Thoroughly rinse the pork butt and pat dry with paper towel.
- Poke holes all over pork butt with sharp knife or metal skewer. Rub pork but with olive oil.
- Mix all seasoning together in small container except water, onions, garlic, bay leaf, and adobo sauce.
- Rub pork butt with all of seasoning mix. Be sure it's coated good.
- Place pork butt in container or plastic bag and marinate for at least 2 hours before cooking. After it marinates, remove from refrigerator and let sit for 20 min before cooking.
- In large crockpot, add water, onions, garlic, bay leaf, and adobo sauce and mix well. Turn on high heat.
- In a large skillet, add vegetable oil and sear and brown roast on all sides.
- Add pork roast and cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours. Or until the pork roast is falling a part.
- Shred pork, taste, and re-season to taste. I recommend garlic powder, no one likes fresh meat, but remember not too salty since you will be adding it to a bowl full of other flavors.
For the Chicken:
- Place all the ingredients for the chicken in a blender, mix well into a marinade.
- Place chicken in container and pour marinade over chicken, coating it really well.
- Marinate for at least 4 hours.
- Remove chicken from marinade and place on a pan for about 15 minutes before cooking.
- Cook chicken on a cast iron grill skillet or a grill until brown and done.
- Remove chicken and let rest for 10 minutes before cutting into chunks. Set aside.
For the Rice:
- Bring about 4 cups of water to boiling or follow package directions to how much you want to make. Add bay leaf and salt. Stir rice and continue boiling. Cover and cook for 12 minutes or until done.
- Remove bay leaf.
- Drain rice and rinse with cool water, drain again. Pour into a large bowl.
- Stir in lemon and lime juices and cilantro, then season with salt to taste.
For the mild tomato salsa:
- In a medium bowl, mix tomatoes and all ingredients together, then season to taste with salt.
- Place in refrigerator until ready to serve.
For the medium green chili salsa:
- Pre-heat the oven to 450 degrees.
- Place tomatillos in sink and wash them peeling away their husks and rinsing off as much waxy substance as possible. Using a mild soap works.
- Cut into quarters and place on a foil lined pan cut side down.
- Quarter the tomato and and the jalapenos and place on pan cut side down.
- Place veggies in oven and char for about 25 minutes.
- Remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes.
- Place the charred veggies in a food processor, add all other ingredients and pulse to make into salsa.
- You can gradually add the seeds and membranes per your desired hotness.
- Place in refrigerator until ready to serve.
For the corn salsa:
- Roast and char poblano peppers by placing directly over stove burner, flipping with tongs every few seconds for 3 to 5 minutes.
- Place the charred poblanos in dish and allow to cool for about 10 minutes.
- Cut poblanos in half removing seeds and tops, and chop.
- Over medium heat, place corn in skillet, if using can corn drain corn first. Add a little olive oil to skillet first.
- Add sugar and saute corn until tender and roasted.
- Place corn in dish and let cool.
- Mix in all other ingredients and adjust to taste. Chill for 15 minutes or until ready to serve.
For the guacamole:
- Add avocados to small bowl, mash, add lime and salt to taste, continue mashing.
- Stir in all other ingredients.
For the sauteed veggies:
- Add vegetable oil to skillet, then add sliced peppers and red onions and sautee for about 10 minutes. Set aside until ready to serve.
To make the bowls:
- In your desired bowl, add your rice, black or pinto beans (I used canned black beans, but you are welcome to use homemade), sauteed veggies, corn salsa, mild salsa, medium tomato salsa, guac, shredded cheese, and sour cream.
Notes
Start making some of these recipes the day before. I found the most time consuming were the salsas. I do not recommend marinating the chicken the day before because it may become too tenderized. I say no more than 4 to 5 hours. If you are making the pork carnitas, then you can definitely make it ahead of time. Luckily for me, my brother is the grill guy of our family, so every time he makes boston butts on the grill, I make this recipe. :-)